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Translated by Bill Leibner
In 1933, a group of young Yiddish writers formed an artistic group called
Young Zaglembie. The aim of the group was to popularize progressive
cultural art amongst the Jewish masses. They published two collections entitled
Gerangel [Struggle] in 1933, a book of poems entitled
Baytshen [Whips] by Yuri Arbor (Tuvia Baum) in 1935, and a book of
poems by Young Zaglembie in 1937. All these works were published with
illustrations and linotype settings.
Tuvia Baum
He finished a Hebrew school and then a general high school. He wrote primarily
in Polish, and notably a drama and a story in Sanscript. In 1931, he reached
Paris and met Jewish workers; as a result he started to write in Yiddish. He
participated in the publication of the two collections The Struggle
in 1933. Two years later, his book entitled The Whips was published
and then banned in 1937. He received first prize with a poem entitled
Weisse Flecken [White Spots] in a literary contest sponsored by
Ruwen Ludwik in the Aynzich [on the inside or the self] published
in New York. He also edited and wrote for the issue of Young
Zaglembie. In 1938 he participated in and edited the literary section of
the Academic Journal of the Agniska society in Polish, translated
the third volume of Mickiewicz's Dziady [Old Poor Men]. Slowacki's
Anhelli and Lila Weneda are being readied for
publication. He has published in the Literarishe Bletter [Literary Pages],
Post (Polish), Aynzich, and Morgen Journal
[Morning Paper] in New York.
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L. Szykman | A. Klajnman | H. Dancygier | Z. S. Baum | T. Baum |
He finished high school and later continued his artistic studies in Paris at
the École Nationale des Beaux Arts. He graduated with
distinction. He prepared all the sketches and photos in the Young
Zaglembie publications. He is presently employed as an artistic
supervisor in a Parisian plant.
Herszel Dancygier
He started to write for the Young Zaglembie. He published in the
regional press as well as in literary publications such as Ot [sign
or letter], Die Post, and has participated in poetic competitions
in the Aynzich of New York.
Efraim Klajman
He made his debut as a writer with a poem entitled Palestine,
published in Bafrajung [Liberation] in Warsaw. He participated with
songs and short stories in the following publications: Gezangen
[Songs], Lodz (1919); Wajsenberg's Shtrom [stream, river], 1924;
Weltshpigel [world mirror], 1929/39; Unzer Welt [our
world] in 1938; Folksblatt [people's page] in Bielska (German). He
published poems in the labor newspapers of Kattowice (Polish), and participated
in all issues of the Young Zaglembie.
Lajzer Szykman
He was paralyzed during WWI. He completed a hospital school in Switzerland. He started to write for the local and regional press. He participated in the poetic collections: Gerangel [struggle] and Young Zaglembie. He wrote in the Wochenschrift [Weekly Publication], Zukunft [Future], Vorwärts [Forwards], Post, and Literarishe Bletter [Literary Pages]. He participated in poetic competitions in the Aynzich of New York.
(Some memories)
by Gerszon Stawski
Translated by Bill Leibner
It occurred in 1897 when Sosnowiec was still a village with a small Jewish
population that contained a number of educated Jews who insisted on a good
Hebrew teacher for their children.
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Chaim Nachman Bialik as he left Sosnowiec in 1899 at age 26 |
He had ample time to teach and to write. He wrote most of his poems in the city during the period of 1897-1899.
The first poem that Bialik wrote in Sosnowiec was entitled Achen Hatzir Haam [indeed the Grass of the People]. It was published in Hashiloah [Hebrew newspaper]. The poem received great publicity when W. Jabotinsky translated it to Russian and published it in the Jewish-Russian newspaper Woschod under the title Do Poniv Moy Narod.
Some other well-known poems that he wrote in Sosnowiec were Razi
Leila [Mysteries of the Night] and Bashel Tapuch [The Cooked
Apple].
[Page 272]
With the arrival of Bialik in Sosnowiec, a group of young enlightened Jews
formed a close circle about him. Amongst them was Mosze Feldsztajn, who would
later write short stories under the pen name of Rabbi Mosze. At the time he
resided in Sosnowiec, as did the author of the article, Jakob Wajnberg and
others. This circle founded the Zionist organization in the city and helped to
establish the Zionist organization in the cities of Bedzin and Dabrowa.
The center of the enlightened intelligentsia concentrated around Bialik, who lived at the home of Gerszon Stawski, at Pilsudski Street 12. (The street name was not definite yet.) Here people met several times a week, especially in the winter months. Bialik called these meetings our literary evenings, and frequently mentioned them in his letters to friends in Sosnowiec. On a visit to the city in 1932, he spoke about these evenings and referred to them as youthful memories.
It is important to stress that Bialik did not finish a poem without first reading it before the members of the literary evening. He also listened to observations and constructive criticisms from the members of the literary club. Some of the lines were indeed affected by some of these exchanges where Bialik set the tone. Indeed the latter insisted that a poet needed the reader as the latter needed the author. Even his stories were very interesting. He always displayed a good sense of humor and frequently interjected humorous comments that had the effect of rockets.
Bialik's well-known poem Arieh Baal Haguf [The Lion that Possessed
a Body], is a composition of his childhood experiences in the suburb of
Zytomierz, where he grew up. He used to talk about these experiences before the
literary evenings. The members of the literary circle insisted that he write
these experiences. This led to the creation of the above-mentioned poem that he
loved to talk about.
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Bialik in Sosnowiec in 1932 |
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